The 20-year agricultural agent for the county learned that the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee earlier Thursday had approved a request from Mr. Birkey for about $30,000 to help fund his position in 2011-12. The committee is one of at least three organizations that is lobbying hard to keep the Michigan State University employee from being axed from his job Nov. 1. The others are Farm Bureau and the Monroe County Board of Commissioners.

Mr. Birkey learned that the panel had approved the request at the meeting in East Lansing. There are still some details to be ironed out with the commitment; Keith Reinholt, director of the committee, is to contact Mr. Birkey about the contribution.

Mr. Birkey, who has worked in the region for almost 20 years, said the $30,000 would cover about half the amount he is trying to raise to keep his job. He works with grain and vegetable growers in Monroe and three other counties — Lenawee, Washtenaw and Wayne.

County commissioners are negotiating with MSU officials on a cost-sharing agreement to pay for an educator to work in the county next year. LaMar Frederick, chairman of the board, also attended the bureau's meeting Thursday. He said the county has come up with about $35,000 to pay for housing an educator at the present extension office near the county fairgrounds. About $11,000 would be earmarked for building operations and utilities, $3,500 would go for Internet and phone service and $21,600 would go toward a salary for the employee, Mr. Frederick said.

The main problem with the arrangement with MSU is there is no guarantee Mr. Birkey would be the one filling the position.

"That's the transparency issue we have with it," Mr. Frederick said Thursday. "Nothing's been finalized because we're not sure who will fill it and how that money will be used."

Matt Shane, District 12 coordinator for MSU Extension, also attended the bureau meeting. He said he didn't know about the soybean committee's contribution, but was glad to hear that progress is being made locally in funding the position. He cautioned, though, not to get anyone's hopes up yet because there are other educator jobs to fill and still no agreement being reached with the county.

"The sooner we have that agreement, the better we'll know where we stand on the situation," Mr. Shane said. "There are a lot of agricultural needs to fill in this part of the state."

He said MSU is studying three specific educator needs in southeast Michigan: field crops, vegetables and greenhouse floriculture. The vegetable crop educator for the four counties has been vacant since Dan Pavek left the position a year ago.

Mr. Birkey said he is cautiously optimistic that something can be worked out between the different parties. He has not scheduled any meetings or pesticide certification exams this winter in case the funding mechanism falls through.

Farm Bureau unanimously passed a resolution urging MSU to restore the eliminated educator jobs for field crops and vegetables and to maintain production agriculture as its primary focus. The resolution noted that commodity groups like the Michigan Soybean Association and Michigan Corn Growers have partnered with MSU in the past and were being "alienated" by state budget cuts. The bureau's policy development committee recommended that a comprehensive plan be compiled by MSU by Dec. 15 to serve farmers and industry partners.

John Delmotte of Ida, vice president of the bureau, said the bureau did not support a "self funding mechanism" that required the extension agent to secure funds for his position.

"It is the university's responsibility to obtain the proper funding for these positions," Mr. Delmotte read from the resolution. "We are very concerned about the precedent that 'self funding' may set and the effect it could have on less financially (stable) communities."

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